The 26-year-old is now on £220,000 a week deal, which runs until 2020, and the new deal will take him above Manchester United's Paul Pogba, who is on £290,000 a week. For us it is very important to play this type of game to play away against one of the best teams in the Champions League.

"I was a player and when you have your own day off you must take your own responsibility and make the best decision for you, for the club."

"When he first came he (Antonio Conte) gave him two weeks and said "he's not up to speed, he needs to get fitter", Nicholas said. "We have to try to put in every game everything".

Eden Hazard, I believe, will have a better understanding and form a better combination with Alvaro Morata then with his previous strike partner Diego Costa. If he can elevate himself further, then he will be pivotal to Chelsea's chances of retaining the league and advancing into the final stages of the Champions League.

However, emulating Kante on a regular basis will take some doing - no player has made more tackles or interceptions in the Premier League this season.

Hazard scored 16 League goals last season - including three in two games against Saturday's opponent Manchester City- before suffering his injury on worldwide duty at the end of the campaign.

Conte resisted the temptation to rush him back, identifying two big games in four days - Atletico and City - as the right moment for his campaign to begin.

Hazard is ready to start his first top-flight game of season, against Manchester City on Saturday, having recovered from summer ankle surgery, and he excelled in his side's victory at Atlético Madrid in midweek. David Luiz is still suspended for the hosts, with Andreas Christensen, who had a great game against Stoke City last weekend, set to continue deputizing at the back. "They are a very strong team with a clear idea of what their coach wants".

Atletico are a very physical side and will get in your face, especially as they look to prove a point in their new stadium, and I can see discipline issues here for both teams here.